Cruelty-free beauty was once seen as an alternative: ethical but niche. Today, it sits firmly at the centre of the global beauty conversation, led not just by indie beauty brands but also by major global brands that have chosen to rethink how beauty is perceived.  Women in the region, too, are making more conscious, ethical choices in personal care, and this is reflected in the way

Charlotte Tilbury: 
Charlotte Tilbury built a global luxury brand without animal testing, showing how glamour and conscience can coexist. The brand’s popularity across continents demonstrates that success for a beauty brand doesn’t require ethical compromise.

Fenty Beauty: 

When the brand launched, the main conversation was about inclusivity, but its cruelty-free stance was equally well received. Fenty Beauty's message was clear: innovation should widen access, not cost compassion.

Milk Makeup: 

The brand brought a different kind of clarity to beauty. It made a minimalist, vegan, and cruelty-free promise before it was fashionable, with pared-back formulas and a no-fuss approach.  

KVD Beauty: 

Long before clean beauty became a category, this beauty brand committed to vegan, cruelty-free formulations across bold, high-performance products. KVD Beauty helped dismantle the idea that ethical beauty must be understated or play it safe.

Stella McCartney Beauty: 

This beauty brand brought fashion’s most consistent ethical voice into skincare. Rooted in sustainability, cruelty-free testing, and ingredient transparency, the brand reflects a holistic view of beauty; one that considers impact as carefully as aesthetics.

Cruelty-free markers to look for in beauty brands: Leaping Bunny, PETA, The Vegan Society Trademark, and Choose Cruelty-Free (CCF), among others.